Dear USU Friends,

Together, with the help of a great group of colleagues—specifically my central administrative team, the advancement team both at the university and college levels, a wonderful and talented group of deans, the outstanding leadership that is found in our athletic program, strong leadership from our Board of Trustees and Foundation Board—and, most importantly, the 53,000+ individual donors who contributed during the campaign, we have more than succeeded in reaching our campaign goals.

President Stan L. Albrecht

First, as always, we must begin with the impact the campaign has had for our students. With your gifts, we have been able to establish more than 200 new scholarship endowments. These endowments provide access and retention opportunities for hundreds of our students, and because they are endowments, they will continue to do so permanently. This means that the hundreds of students being supported today will, over the years, turn into thousands and tens of thousands. What a wonderful legacy.

Second, let me note the remarkable impacts on our Regional Campus System. As a result of landmark gifts, we have an impressive new campus in the Uintah Basin. Other gifts are changing or will change our presence in Brigham City, Tooele, Moab and USU Eastern in Price and Blanding. Perhaps one of our greatest legacies will be the opportunities created for students of all ages who now will have the opportunity to obtain a high-quality Utah State University education absent the financial and other barriers associated with geography.

Third, certainly one of the highlights of the campaign is the many new buildings we have added. The face of our campus has been changed, and in dramatic ways. New buildings now grace Utah State University from the Quad at the Logan campus to Blanding in the far southeastern corner of our state. Generations of students and faculty will benefit from these new facilities and the classrooms and laboratories that they provide.

Fourth, clearly one of the most visible and significant impacts of our campaign is seen in our athletic program. Our alumni and fans, here and around the country, are basking in the resurgence of Aggie pride and triumph on the athletic field. Much of this is made possible because of your help in building new facilities, providing scholarship support to student athletes and assisting us in attracting and retaining quality administrators and coaches. We now have, or will soon have, facilities that are the envy of any university in the country. This has made possible our opportunity to move into the Mountain West Conference, and will continue to allow us to compete and win championships at the highest level. It is a great time to be an Aggie.

Fifth, among the most remarkable outcomes of this campaign has been the naming of four of our academic colleges—the Huntsman School of Business, the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services, the Caine College of the Arts and the S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources. Each of these actions reflects gifts and pledges of more than $25 million dollars. When I talk with university colleagues around the country, they find this to be one of the most noteworthy feats of our campaign.

Sixth, one of the goals established at the time of my appointment was for us to enhance our global presence—in research, student opportunities, an expanded presence of international students on campus and other collaborations and opportunities. If we are to provide our students the kinds of experiences that will make them players in an increasingly global economy, our efforts on this front are essential. Your gifts are making that happen.

Finally, our research opportunities are being greatly facilitated by gifts that have come to help build our research and commercialization enterprise. This is a growing part of our portfolio, and one that will become increasingly important as we move forward.

One of the most gratifying outcomes of the campaign has been the new friendships that have been created that go way beyond the business of comprehensive campaigns and fundraising. As I met with long-time university benefactors or with those who would become first-time donors, I developed a very strong sense that it was my responsibility not to let them down. I wanted to make sure that what we did with their gifts would be consistent with the hopes and dreams that caused them to step up and make the commitments in the first place.

The task of raising this enormous sum of money was made easier because there is something very special about this place. I know you feel it. Though it is sometimes difficult to explain to others, I observe it daily in my interactions with alumni, with students, with parents and with most anyone who has had the opportunity to be connected in some way with this institution.

Over the past few weeks, I have tried to put into words just what this campaign has really meant in all of its aspects. I have found that task simply too difficult. We see immediate impacts in the wonderful physical monuments on our campus—new buildings, classrooms, laboratories, study rooms, auditoriums, libraries, athletic venues. These facilities enhance the beauty of our campus but also represent, for generations to come, the level of heightened excellence we enjoy in our teaching, research, outreach and athletic missions. But the most important outcomes will likely be found in the sometimes less visible changes in individual lives.

On behalf of my colleagues, our faculty and staff, our students and those whose lives will be blessed for generations to come, THANK YOU from the bottoms of our hearts and the depths of our souls for helping us reach the truly remarkable goal.